The Expanse

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A system of cells interlinked
Merged the threads to keep things tidy!
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A system of cells interlinked
This worth getting into? Not watching any series at the moment so I have a slot open.
Easily one of my favorite recent sci-fi series. The first season takes a bit to get going, but the show on the whole is definitely worth a watch. I really enjoy the more realistic approach to life in space, and the focus on intrigue.



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Easily one of my favorite recent sci-fi series. The first season takes a bit to get going, but the show on the whole is definitely worth a watch. I really enjoy the more realistic approach to life in space, and the focus on intrigue.

This should be enough. I'll try and get this started this weekend, time permitting. Thanks for the reply Sedai.



A system of cells interlinked
This should be enough. I'll try and get this started this weekend, time permitting. Thanks for the reply Sedai.
Pop back in and let us know what you think after you get into it!



The Adventure Starts Here!
@Austruck - thoughts so far?
I'm on episode 5 of season 1.

I'm not sure why you said it takes some time to get into things, because I so far feel the opposite. I feel as if it jumped RIGHT in, into a fully formed world with fully realized characters. So, my only concern was that I really had to pay attention in the beginning in order to determine who these characters were, what this world was like. I'm still working some of that out, especially who the good/bad guys are. And it's usually better if that's not completely obvious right up front anyway.

Now, the *other* sci-fi series you recommended for me was The 100. I'm on season 3 of that series. The 100 was easier to get into at first, and the characters were clearer and easier to distinguish from each other. The world was even a little easier to figure out.

But so far, I can see that The Expanse is going to be the better series. It feels a lot more like Battlestar Galactica (in a good way), with a gritty, realistic world and complex characters.

There's one thing that BG had that I'm not necessarily sensing from The Expanse, though. BG started out with a very clear goal in mind: Find Earth. Get to Earth. Even in The 100, the goal was kinda to find Earth and see if it's okay to stay there (along with a lot of teenage Lord of the Flies). (I'd argue, though, that by where I am in season 3 of The 100, that long-term goal seems to have come and gone, leaving a strange amalgam of The Island of Dr. Moreau and Battle for the Planet of the Apes or something. )

I'm not sure what the long-term, overarching goal is in The Expanse (unless I just missed it early on while I was keeping everything/everyone straight in my head). The description for every episode of this season is this: "The disappearance of rich-girl-turned-political-activist Julie Mao links the lives of Ceres detective Joe Miller, accidental ship captain James Holden, and U.N. politician Chrisjen Avasarala. Amidst political tension between Earth, Mars, and the Belt, they unravel the single greatest conspiracy of all time."

So I guess THAT is the overarching storyline.

Also, anyone who loves the feel and ambiance of Bladerunner will love this show for its style and look alone. Add on some excellent casting and pretty terrific effects (oh, that guy who lost his head, yikes!), and you've got an impressive show so far.

I'll keep you posted if my opinion changes, but so far, it gets two thumbs-up from me.



The Adventure Starts Here!
Oh, and now that there is a merged thread, I might go back and read the previous pages here... although I'm hesitant to read spoilers since I'm still so early on.



A system of cells interlinked
Oh, and now that there is a merged thread, I might go back and read the previous pages here... although I'm hesitant to read spoilers since I'm still so early on.
I don't recall all the content in the thread, so tread carefully!

As to your previous post...

It's funny, because I think the show hits the ground running, as well, but a couple of my friends have griped about the first season being slow, so I thought I would post the caveat in an effort to keep Lawyer watching if it doesn't click right away.

I have trouble comparing The 100 to The Expanse, as they are pretty different animals. The Expanse is a much more serious and grounded format, while The 100 is ore fantastical in some ways, even if it aims to be hard sci fi. I will say that maybe The 100 hits more emotional highs along the way, with the expanse being more on the clinical side in its examination of its characters. This latest season ups The Expanse's game in that regard though...

The BSG comparison is more in the same wheelhouse, and I would only add that The Expanse, at least so far, hasn't tacked on a gimmick like the whole 'who is a cylon?" thing we dealt with throughout BSG.

There is a temporary tonal shift in The Expanse that take some viewers a bit by surprise, but it only lasts for several episodes, so if you find yourself raising an eyebrow when it occurs, just push through.



The Adventure Starts Here!
Thanks! I'll skip reading earlier posts here for now, then. I tend to binge series quickly, so I'll catch up soon enough. It's still early going, so I'm having a FEW issues figuring out what/who the OPA are. Jared Harris in another great role as Anderson Dawes. Gosh, that guy can play just about any sort of part.

Apologies for the odd comparison to The 100. It's mostly because they're both fictional worlds, both recently recommended by YOU, HERE, and I'm bopping back and forth between them myself. I needed to take a break from The 100 for a while as they kept adding more on-the-ground factions I hardly cared about.

Back to season 1, episode 5!



You ready? You look ready.
I honestly can’t think of any sci-fi show that is like The Expanse. It is a juggernaut unto its own, and this is the show that future sci-fi will be compared.

@Austruck - Outer Planets Alliance (OPA) started as a union labor/advocacy group for anyone not from Earth or Mars. In season one, they are loosely viewed as a terrorist organization by Earth and Mars.

But this is all you need to better understand the OPA: “The more you share, the more your bowl will be plentiful.”

Think low key communism for air, water, and food.*

EDIT: it’s also better to think of this show as political sci-fi. No goals. Just straight up world building and what happens happens. That undefined goal is precisely why this series is so good.



You ready? You look ready.
Ok, holy crap, this deserves a double post: Amos’ character development tonight was insane. Omg, I am floored. I am still goose fleshing.

Holy crap! HOLY CRAP!




A system of cells interlinked
Ok, holy crap, this deserves a double post: Amos’ character development tonight was insane. Omg, I am floored. I am still goose fleshing.

Holy crap! HOLY CRAP!

I haven't seen the latest episode, but this is what I was alluding to a week or two ago. The writing re: Amos this season is just off the charts awesome. This show is the bomb.



You ready? You look ready.
@Sedai: Did you get a chance to watch that latest episode last night? Interested to hear what you think.
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A system of cells interlinked
@Sedai: Did you get a chance to watch that latest episode last night? Interested to hear what you think.
I did! I am crushed at work, but will try to pop in here and post some thoughts asap!